Condenser



CONDENSER Filed April 20, 1 931 2 Sheets-Sheet l F. X. GOVERS April 3, 1934.

CONDENSER Filed April 20, 1931 s-Sheet 2 2 Sheet Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONDENSER Francis X. Govers, Vincemies, Ind., assignor to Indian Refining Company, Lawrenceville, 111., a corporation of Maine Application April 20, 1931, Serial No. 531,598

3 Claims. (01. 257-34) The present invention relates to a condenser municate with an ejector or other suitable means and means for mounting the same. for producing sub-atmospheric pressure in the In the use of condensers for the condensation condenser. The upper end of the shell 4 carries of vapors which have wide boiling point ranges the tube sheet 12 from which the nest of tubes 5 it is necessary that such condensers shall be free 3 is suspended. The lower tube sheet 6 carries 0 to expand in all directions. It is also most adthe skirt or short shell 14, the bottom open-end vantageous that such condensers be provided of which is closed by the plate bolted to the with means permitting the cleaning of the water flange 16. The flange 16 is secured to the shell cooled tubes While in operation, that free passage 14 by welding at 17. A packing 18' serves to pro- 10 be allowed for the vapors, and that the condenser vide a tight joint between the flange 16 and the surfaces be as close as possible to the surface of plate 15. The tube sheets 12 and 6 are provided the liquid being evaporated. This last feature with central openings into which are secured in is of particular importance when it is desired any suitable manner as by welding the tubes 19 to maintain the back pressure or tension on the and 20 to be described more fully hereafter.

15 liquid as low as possible, as in high-vacuum dis- Mounted on the tubesheet 12 is a cooling water tillation. discharge device comprising the outer shell 21, the

The foregoing characteristics are provided in inner shell 22 of less height than shell 21, the disthe condenser of my invention which has been charge pipe 23 and cover plate 24 provided with designed particularly for use in the distillation of a central opening for the pipe 19. The pipe 19 is 20 the lubricating fractions of mineral oils under secured into and extends upwardly from the cenlow absolute pressure. tral opening in the tube sheet 12, and the pipe 20 The condenser and mounting will now be deextends downwardly through the pipe 19, suffiscribed in connection with the accompanying cient clearance for free relative movement being drawings in which: provided, and through the opening in the tube 5 Fig. 1 shows the condenser mounted in the sheet 6 into the chamber 25 formed by the tube so head of a still; sheet 6 the shell 14 andthe rlate 15. The dis- 9 Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section charge end of pipe 20 is so positioned with respect and partly in front elevation of the condenser; to plate 15 as to provide an equitable distribu- Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken section of the extion 'of the cooling water to the tubes 3. A fluid.

3o pansible joint in the cooling water supply line; tight flexible joint between pipes 19 and 20 is and provided by the expansible joint C.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken section of the bot- In operation of the condenser cooling water is tom of the condenser; supplied through the pipe 20 to the chamber 25 Referring to Fig. 1, the condenser A is supfrom which it flows upwardly through tubes3 over 35 ported in the head of the still B by means of the the top of the shell 22 and out through the disflanges 1 and 2. The condensing surface, i. e., charge pipe 23. Vapors generated in the still B the bank of tubes 3, extends beyond the outer pass upwardly freely into contact with the tubes shell 4 of the condenser and into the body of the 3 and condensate flows downwardly into the basin still, thereby providing a relatively short path for 7 and out by way of the pipe 8 while uncondensed 40 the movement of the vapors from the body of vapors or gases are discharged from the conliquid beingevaporated in the still into contact denser by way of pipes 11. As will be apparent with the condenser surface and ample open space the vapors passing from the still to the condenser is provided between the shell 4, the wall 5 of the are not forced to pass through a down flowing still and the lower tube sheet 6, for the free pascurtain of condensate and entrainment is there- 45 sage of the vapors from the still into contact with by largely avoided. It is further apparent that the tubes. 7 the cover 24 may be removed and the tubes 3 A basin '7 and drain pipe 8 both provided with cleaned without interrupting the operation of the heat insulation 9 may serve to catch and discondenser. Due to the construction of the concharge the condensate flowing oil of the tubes. denser and the manner in which the parts are 50 The condenser might be used for refluxing by supported, as described above, expansion and conomitting the basin '7. traction due to changes in temperature may oc- Referring to Fig. 2 the condenser comprises cur without breaking the necessary fluid-tight the cylindrical shell 4 provided at its upper end joints. It may be noted that in the use of the with the bustle pipe 10 and outlet pipes 11, 11 condenser it may be necessary to connect pipes 55 for uncondensed gases. Pipes 11, 11 may com- 11, 11 and 23 to an associated apparatus (not shown), such as, for instance, a conduit for conveying water from pipe 23 to waste and conduits providing communication between the pipes 11, 11 and a vacuum producing device through flexible couplings.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A condenser structure comprising an outer shell, an upper tube sheet extending across and attached thereto, a nest of tubes extending into and suspended from said upper tube sheet, a second tube sheet attached to the lower ends of said tubes open-spaced from the outer shell, a flanged shell attached to said second tube sheet, a removable cover attached to said flange, a central supply pipe attached to and extending through said second tube'sheet, a tube concentric with said central supply pipe and extending up from and attached to said upper tube sheet and an expansible joint between the central supply pipe and said tube.

2. A condenser structurecomprising an outer cylindrical shell, an upper tube sheet extending across and attached to said shell, a nest of tubes depending from said tube sheet and extending beyond said shell, a second tube sheet attached to the lower end of said nest of tubes, walls defining a chamber below said second tube sheet and communicating with said nest of tubes, a pipe attached to and extending upwardly from an opening in said upper tube sheet, a second pipe extending downwardly through said first named pipe and through said second tube sheet into said chamber and attached to said second tube sheet, an expansible joint connecting said pipes at a point above said upper tube sheet, and walls openspaced from said lower tube sheet defining a chamber communicating with the lower end of said shell.

3. A condenser structure comprising an outer cylindrical shell, an upper tube sheet extending across and attached to said shell, a nest of tubes depending from said tube sheet and extending beyond said shell, a second tube sheet attached to the lower end of said nest of tubes, walls defining a chamber below said second tube sheet, and communicating with said nest of tubes, a pipe attached to and. extending upwardly from an opening in said upper tube sheet, a second pipe extending downwardly through said first named pipe and through said second tube sheet into said chamber and attached to said second tube sheet, an expansible joint connecting said pipes at a point above said upper tube sheet, walls open spaced' from said lower tube sheet defining a chamber communicating with the lower end of said shell and means in said last named chamber for collecting condensate.

FRANCIS X. GOVERS. 

